Convertible box and stand



'A. W. SMITH. CONVERTIBLE BOX AND STAND.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2% 1-918.

1,382,393. Patented June 21, 1921 3 SHEEISSHEET 1.

WITNEEEEE B U INVENTD R Has An muev A. W. SMITH.

CONVERTIBLE BOX AND STAND.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI} I918.

PatentedJune 21, 1921 Y 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES HIEIATTURNFV A. w. SMITH. CONVERTIBLE BOX AND.ST'AND.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1918.

' Patented June 21. 1921@ 3 SHEETSSHEET 3- INVENTEIR WITNESSES ZWAM.

din/32 MW [k gm am/L H15 ATTURNEY UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTON TYPEWRITERCOMPANY, OI ILION, NEW YORK. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONVERTIBLE BOX AND STAND.

Application filed May 24,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. SMITH, citizen of the United States, andresidentof the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, havevinvented a certain new and usefulConvertible Box and Stand, of

which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to boxes or containers for wiring machinesor other contrivances, and its general object is to provide a new andimproved box of this character. More specifically, the object of myinvention is to provide a combined packv consists in the features ofconstruction, combinations of devices, and arrangements of partshereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred forniof theinven-'- tion,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved box when'closed.

2 is a front to rear vertical sectional view of the closed box.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are respectively a top alan a side elevation and afront elevation,

of my improved box when opened, extended or unfolded.

Figs. 6 and 7 are side elevations, the latter partly in section, showingdifierent stages or steps in the process of closing or folding the box.

Fig. 8 shows a modification.

The box or case is a foldable or collapsihle structure comprisingtwoparts or frames hinged or pivotally connected. These parts or frames arepreferably made of wood, and the base part or frame, designated as awhole by the reference numeral 1, comprises a bottom 2, parallel sides3, a back 4, and a/narrow cross piece 5- connected to the sides 3 andthe back a. The parts constituting the :base frame are suitably securedtogether as by nails or wood screws, not shown. It will be noted thatthe front of the base 18 open Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921. 1918. Serial No. assess.

and the front edges or faces of the sides 3 are exposed. These edges arecrosswise of the grain of the wood and to prevent chipping or splittingand otherwise to protect these exposed edges, they are covered byU-shaped shoes or protectors 6 of metal secured in place by screws 7 Thebase is also protected and reinforced by flexible metal straps orbinding strips 8 which extend around it near its side edgesand arenailed or otherwise suitably secured in place, These binding straps orstrips do not, how

ever, extend along the tops of the sides 3 and of course are not appliedover or under the shoes 6. At its sidesthe base frame is provided withhandles 9 of the ordinary style, the handle plates 10 being screwed tothe sides 3.

The second frame, designated as a whole by the reference numeral 11 islikewise constituted of a number of wooden parts or pieces, nailed,screwed or otherwise suitably secured together, and comprises a topportion-12, a vertical front portion 13 andsides 14:. The top portion 12is substantially equal in width to the width of the base frame 1 but thesides la are secured to the top portion so as to fit inside the spacebetween the sides 3 when the box is in folded or collapsed condition.The front vertical portion 13 is likewise of a width to fit between thesides 3, and the bottom edge of the front portion l3 may be beveledorinclined, as indicated at 13*; Although for the sake of clearness thedrawings, especially F 1g. 3, show a space between the sides 3 and 1t,nevertheless it is to be understood that in practice these sides fit asclosely as possible, without obstructing free movement between theparts, in order to exclude dust and dirt when the box is closed. Thetwoi parts or frames 1 and 11 arepivotally connected or hinged byordinary hinges 15 whose leaves I are secured by wood screws or the liketo the top 12 of the frame 11 and the part 5 of the frame 1. The sideedge portions of the frame 11 are also protected or reinforced byflexible metal stra s or strips 16 suitably secured in place. r s thusfar described the box when closed, collapsed or folded, is adaptedcompletely to inclose'or house, as in Figs. 1 and 2, thewriting machineor other contrivance, and when fully opened, unfolded or extended,as inFigs. 3, 4 and 5, is adapted to support the machine on the part 13,which is then horizontal, in such position that'the operator will findthe ma:

chine at a convenient height for writing. In order to hold-theframe '11extended or upright at right angles to the base frame or body 1, asillustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, I provide removable foot pieces orangular metal latches 17 which may be of spring metal. 'These footpieces are inset in the outer faces of the sides 14, these sides, whichin a sense correspond to the legs of a-table, being cut out at theirfront lower corners (viewed in raised position), as indicated at 14 toprovide seats for the foot pieces 17. The foot pieces are secured inplace at their .tops by screws 18-and comprise vertically disposed bodyportions having angularly arranged inwardly extending bottom portions 17at their lower ends, these body portions extendingunder or behind thebottoms, of

the sides 14 and terminating in upstanding extensions or storps 17".When the box is unfolded or extended, these foot pieces spring outward,,dueto their own inherent resiliency, to an extent limited by thecontact of the stops 17 b with the inner faces of the sides 14, and as aresult will overlie the tops of the sides 3 by which they will besupported. The leg portions 14 and table top portion 13 of the frame 11are thus support-' ed. at the front when in extended positions, the rearportions of these parts being supported by the hinges 15, In order toprevent the part 14 from being thrown back unduly,

it is preferable to provide means such as. a flexible connection orchain, indicated at 19, the ends whereof are secured to anchorages 20and 21 fixed respectively to the bottom 2 and the right-hand sideportion 14. This chain is of such length that only a slight movement ofthe frame 11 backward past its vertical or upright position is possible,this movement relieving the foot-pieces 17 from the weight which theysupport and enabling them to be pressed inward to the inoperativeposition preliminary to folding the box.

Although not essential'to the carrying out of my invention in allrespects, I have found it desirable and convenient to attach to the boxproper a baseboard or supporting member forthe machine. This baseboard,indicated by the numeral 22, is usually and preferably of wood but maybe of any desired material. It is hinged or pivoted to the part 13 byhinges 23, and its end adjacent the hinges may be beveled, as indicatedat 22, to correspond to the bevel 13*. The arrangement is 'such thatwhen the box is closed the baseboard may'rest on the bottom '2, as inFig. 2, and when opened may. be

thrown back to rest on the top 13, as in Fig. 4. Thetop of the baseboardhas extending from front to rear two parallel metal plates '24 which arescrewed. in place and to which in turn are'secured a pair of resilientmetal ably secured in any convenient way. In the present instance I haveillustrated attaching means comprising conical headed screws 27 whichpass through the baseboard and are secured by nuts 28.- Washers 29 areinterposed between the heads of these screws and and the bottom of thebaseboard, andsmaller washers 30 are interposed between the nuts and thecross bars 25.

When closed the box is adapted to be locked by any'suitable means. Inthe present instance I have illustrated a hinged hasp 31 secured at thefront and middle of the bottom 2 and cooperating with a staple 32 fixedto the front 13. A padlock 33 looks thehasp and staple, thus lockingthe. frames 1 and 11 together. When the box is unfolded or extended thestaple 32 fits into a depression 34 in the bottom of the baseboard andthe rear portion of the baseboard rests on a bar 35 of wood or the likefixed to the part 13, this bar compensating for the spacing upward ofthe baseboard from the part 13 at the maintaining the baseboardsubstantially horizontal when in writing position.

,The box is shown 'in shipping condition in Figs. 1 and 2. In order torender the machine available for writing the padlock 33-is unlocked thehasp and staple are disengaged and the hinged frame or section 11 isswung upward on the hinges 15 as pivots, thus bodily elevating andturning the front vertical side until it becomes horizontal, as in Figs.3 to 5, constituting in effect a table portion. It will be understoodthat when the hinged section 11 is brought to its upright position, thelatches or foot-pieces 17 will be released from confinement between thesides 3 andwill spring outward laterally to operative position overlyingthe tops of said sides. The operator next grasps the lower edge portionof the baseboard 22 and swings it upward and rearward about the hinges23 as a pivot until it and the machine 26 fixed to it reach the positionof the machine resting securely on the tablefront, due to the hinges,and

top. The opening at the front of the stand makes a convenient place forthe knees and lower portions of the legs of the operator. It will beunderstood that while, as stated, it has been found convenient to attachthe baseboard permanently to the table top, this is not essential andthe baseboard, or in fact .the'machine without the baseboard, may be.

secured within the base portion by any of may be removed from the baseand placed on the top 13 when the box has been un-- its hinges until therear end of the baseboard contacts with the bottom or floor piece 2,

as shown in Fig. 7, the contact edge =of the baseboard being preferablyrounded as shown. Thereafter, pressure on the baseboard is withdrawn andthe operator simply completes the folding in and closing-up operation.As the parts close together the space between the beveled faces 13 and22- I gradually closes, and when the box is completely closed thebaseboard will contact .with the bottom edges of the side pieces 14;.

The construction is such that the baseboard is confined between thebottom edges of the side pieces3and the upper face of the bottom 2, sothat the machine will be securely held within the case when the box,having been closed as described and locked, is moved or handled in thecourse of transportation.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a slight modification whereby the beveledfaces 13 and 22? .are dispensed with. The baseboard instead is shortenedand squared at its front as indicated at 22 to cooperate with the end ofthe part 13 which is correspondingly squared as indicated at 13 Thismodified construction does away with thin beveled edges which might tooeasily be broken.

It will be seen that by my present invention I provide a strong,substantial andconrparatively-ch eap shipping or packing box, case orreceptacle, which is .efiectiveto protect the machine from the roughhandling to which its housing or casing will commonly be subjected,especiallyunder traveling conditions in themilitaryr'servicefor which myimproved .box ismore particularly designed.

In order to render the machine available.

for use it is only necessary tounlock the adlock and unfold or extendthe sectional I x," converting it into an elevated types it fstanmhasbeen described, the opthe ordinary securing devices in use. and

eration being a comparatively simple one and both the opening andclosing being accomplished readily and expeditiously.

Various changes besides those specified may be made Without departingfrom my invention. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A typewriter packing box comprising a body, legs and top, andlateral,movable foot-pieces for supporting or connecting the legs on or to thesides of the body of the box proper, said foot-pieces being constantlyconnected to said legs and their ends resting on the sides of said body.when the box is open.

2. A combined packing box and writing support for a writing machinecomprising a box proper having a hinged top and a front side rigidlyconnected thereto, the rigid front side when the box is open beingbrought to an; elevated horizontal position, in combination with abaseboard hinged at the lower edge of the front side, said baseboardbeing adapted to be swung over onto the horizontally disposed front sidewhen the'box is open, and said baseboard being adapted to lie at thebottom of the box and 'at right angles to the front when the box isclosed.

3. A combined typewriter packing box and writing support comprising twoconnected parts which When in closed relationship fully inclose thetypewriting machine and when brought into open relationship areautomatically interlocked against closing and provide a stand which atone side is open and entirely unobstructed beneath the top on which thewriting machine is adapted to rest, the open side aflording access to aspace partly inclosed by the other three sides which provide a support.for the top both at its front and back.

4. A combined typewriter packing boxand writing support comprising twobox parts permanently connected together at the ,back, each part havingtwo open sides, and

means for supporting one part on the other at the. front, the open sidesbeing adjacent each other when the box is open so that a ontinuousunobstructed open side is provided extending entirely underneath thetop, which is in a convenient position for supporting the writingmachine.

' 5. A combined typewriter packing box and writing support comprisingtwo box parts permanently hinged together, the parallel side pieces ofone part fitting between the parallel ,side pieces of the other partwhen the box is closed, and means operating automatically to maintaintheparts in ab normalrelationship when the box is opened, each box parthaving two open sides which cooperate-to providea single unobstructedopen side when the box .is open, the open side extending entirely underthe top which is then at a convenient height for supporting the writingmachine,

6. A combined typewriter packing box and writing support comprising twobox parts permanently hinged together and provided with a baseboardpermanently hinged to one of said box parts, the two box parts eachhaving twoopen sides which cooperate to provide a single unobstructedopen side when the box is open, the open side extending entirely underthe top Which is then at a convenient height for supporting the writingmachine, the base board being adapted to be swung into position so as torest horizontally on the top. w

7. A combined packing box and writing machine support comprising abottom, a

back, and'two sides all rigidly secured together; a hinged top, a frontrigidly secured to the forward edge of said hinged top; and a baseboardhinged to the bottom of said front; whereby when the boxis closed thebase board lies within and at the bottom of the box, but when the box isopened the front occupies an elevated horizontal position andthe baseboard is adapted to be swung over on top thereof and be supportedthereby and also to support the writing machine at proper working level}8. A combined packing box and writing machine support comprisin abottom, a back, and two sides all rigi 1y secured together; a hingedtop, a front rigidly secured to the forward edge of said hinged top; twosides also rigidly secured to said hinged top, and a base board hingedto the bottom of said front and carrying the writing machine; said baseboard adapted to rest on the bottom of the box, with the writing machineupright,, when the box is closed, and said baseboard being also adaptedto rest on the front of the box with the writing machine upright whenthe box is opened for use.

9. A combined typewriter packing box parallel sides of the upper sectionwhen thee box is open serving with the parallel-sides of the lowersection as supports to sustain the weight of the typewritin machine.

Signed at the borough of anhattan, city of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, this 22nd day of May, A. D. 1918.

ARTHUR W. SMITH.

Witnesses CHARLES E. SMITH, E. M. WELLS.

